Wire chain machine



Aug. 7, 1923.

OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE ll Sheets-Sheet 1 m N M Fileklvlgifch 21. 1922m0 W M A TTORNEYS. zfwwv M Aug. 7, 1923.

11,44,33l M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 21.1922 I INVENTOR. J ZauJZZZ fllsazz A TTORNEYS.

M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Aug. 7, 1923..

Filed March 21. 1.922 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. JZZzzazZz fllswzAug. 7, 1923.

M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Eiled March 21. 1922 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. S.m w m WM w A r a w m magnum M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE ll Sheets- Sheet6 Filed March 21, 1.922

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 1?, W23.

M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Filed March 21. 11 Sheets-Shet v [N VEN TOR.Maura'iz 0&50/0

A TTORNEYS.

M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Aug. 7, 1923.

ll Sheets Sheet 8 INVENTOR. flfaun'lz 0450/2 ATTORNEYS.

Filed March 21.

Aug. 7, 1923.

M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Filed March 21. 1922 ll Sheets-Sheet 9INVENTOR.

- .flfazzra'tz also/z A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 7, 1923.

' M. OLSON WIRE CHAIN MACHINE Filed Mafch 21.

1922 ll SheetsSheet l1 Q QN INVENTOR. Maurflz fllso/a ATTORNEYS.

Fatentecl filing 7, T923.

STATES PATENT MAUBITZ OLSON, OF BRIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEA. H. NILSON IEAOHINE 00., OF BRIDGEIPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

WIRE CHAIN IvIAOHINE.

Application filed March 21, 1922. Serial No. 545,588.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that MAUnrrz OLsoN, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Bridgeport, in the county or F airfield and tatc orConnecticut, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Cha in Machines, oi which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to chain machines of that class whereby wire chainlinks are automatically assembled and formed, to produce a continuouspiece of chain, or predetermined lengths of the same. i

The machine is especially designed and adapted for making substantiallythat form of chain link known in the trade as a lock link chain, butwhich more closely resembles the link shown in Figs. 15 and 18 of thedrawings of this application.

The design of link illustrated herein is one wherein the two endportions of the wire are completely turned over the shoulders of thelink and disposed in substantially the same direction, against the eyeportion of the link. To the best of my knowledge, however, a singlechain machine has not heretofore been built capable of producing a link;one having its wire ends closely tucked in, out of the Way, and againstthe eye portions of the link so as to :t'orn'i. a. smooth running chain.

The objects of my invention therefore are to generally improve upon theconstruction of wire chain machines of this type, whereby a stronger andsmoother chain is produced and to provide a different order ofoperations upon the blank so the production, per hour, of a singlemachine may be materially increased. Further and espe' cially the"object of my invention is to include means whereby the two adjacentupwardly disposed end portions of the wire of the link aresimultaneously bent forward and together closely pressed in over theshoulders of the link and their ends disposed against the peripheries ofthe eye portions of the link, thereby forming a stronger "tie of the eyeto the shoulders and a smoother link which allows a freer running of thechain through the hands, when occasion requires, and which constructionalso better adapts it for use on sprocket wheels for driving purposes.

Further objects of the invention reside in improved mechanism themachine where by given lengths of chain including any desired number oflinks may be termed in rapid succession without stopping the ma chine orwasting wire, and to include means that may be readily changed to formpieces of chain of different lengths. Another object of the invention isto provide a setting tool which performs a final operation of settingthe link after it is assembled and termed, whereby the two eye portionsare tightly closed together, forming a rigid link which will not permitthe chain formed thereof to stretch.

The preliminary operations upon the wire blank in the forming of a linkin my ma chine. require several pairs of tools, each pair of whichoperates simultaneously upon the end portions of the wire blank for thepreliminary operations in the forming of the two eyes. The two endportions of the blank are bent in, in substantially the same manner withrelation to each other leaving the ends. of the wire similarly disposedat the completion of each operation thereon. The U-ing of the link isformed by a single U-ing' tool that operates against a central formerpost, after which the eye portions are again operated upon by pairs ofside tools that shove the two eyes together in alignment and furtherdispose the end portions together and in under the central shoulderedportion of the link. A single lower tool is employed for simultaneouslyengaging the two adjacent end portions of the wire and throwing them upagainst the inside of the loop, and around the shoulders, and a slidablehook-like too-l is utilized for the final operation of tucking in theends to form a finished link.

With. these and other objects in view the invention resides and consistsin the construction and novel combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minordetails of construction within the scope of the claims may be resortedto without departure from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding partsthroughout the several figs. of the accompanying drawings "forming apart of this specification, and upon which,

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of my improved chain machine, with a piece ofwire being fed therein;

F 2 is a. front elevation of the ma chine as seen from the near side ofFig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation as seen from the opposite side from 2; Fig.4i is a side elevation as seen from the left of Fig. 1, which representsthe side of the machine in which the wire is fed in, the bracketcarrying the wire straightening rolls being omitted;

Fig. 5 shows an opposite side elevation from that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a further plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the centralportion of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows a central vertical cross section on an enlarged scale,taken through ti 9. machine, on the line of travel of the fed into themachine, see line 7-7 of Fig. 1 g,

Fig. 8 is a further cross section on an enlarged scale, taken onapproximately the same line, but looking in the opposite di rection,showing the wire curlers, forming tools and wire feeding mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical cross section taken at a right angle toFig. 7 through some of the forming tools and along the line of travel ofthe completed chain as it comes from the machine;

Fig. 10 shows a vertical sectional elevation through the feed cut-outmechanism;

F ig. 11 shows an enlarged plan view of the first set of tools forcutting and preparing the wire link blank, also shown therein;

Fig. 12 shows an end view of the two curlers for perforn'iingthe secondof the bending operations as illustrated by the curled wire blankcontained therein;

Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the tools for performing the nextor U-ingoperation and the U-shaped wire blank as shaped by said tools;

Fi 14 shows a plan view of the loop closing tools, whereby the link isclosed and the two eye portions brought together as repr sented by thewire blank contained in the tools;

15 shows in addition to the closing tools seen in Fig. 1, the two wireend bending slides for turning the two ends over the shoulders of thelink as indicated by the link blank as shown;

Fig. 16 shows a lower tool for further bending-in the two wire endsaround the shoulders of the link and deflecting said ends atsubstantially a right-angle to the loop portion, as indicated by theblank;

Fig. 17 illustrates the tools: for the final operation, and a side viewof the link as completed by said tools, said final operation being tomore completely turn-in the extreme ends of the wire to dispose them outof the way to form a smooth running link; and

Fig. 18 shows a perspective view or a completed link as formed in myimproved ma chine.

l'leterring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings, 20 represents the bed of the machine upon which all of theoperative parts are carried, and.

which in turn is supported in the usual manner by legs 21. 22 representsa driving it that is journaled in bracket bearings secured to theunderside of the bed. This shaft carries a. fly wheel 24 upon one end,and a belt wheel upon the other and a pinion 26 upon its intermediateportion. 27 represents a clutch positioned upon the shall andconstructed to "form releasable driving connection as between the beltwheel and the shaft. The clutch is manually operated through a handlever 28 pivoted at 2:) to the end of the bracket bearing and connectedby link 30.

The gear 26 upon the driving shaft meshes with and drives a larger 31upon a cam shaft designated as A and journaled in bearings 323f2 securedto the bed of the machine. This cam shaft is provided with a bevel gear33 upon one end and a similar bevel gear upon the other end. The firstmentioned bevel gear meshes with and drives another bevel gear 35mounted upon the front cam shait B, which is journaled in bearings 36-3Gseemed to the front of the bed of the machine, The bevel gear B lcarried upon the shaft A meshes with and drives a like bevel gear 37mounted upon the third cam shatt- C which is journaled in bearings 38secured to the back oi the bed 01"? the machine. The op 'iosite end oi?the cam sha'l't C is provided with a bevel gear 39 that meshes with anddrives a co-acting bevel gear 41.0 mounted upon the cam shaft D andjournaled in bearings ll o1 the bed.

It will thus be seen that the machine includes four main cam-shafts andthat each of said shafts carries a series of cams for operating toolcarrying slides which work singly or in pairs, to cut and shape the wireto form the completed links. The slides roierred to, for the most part,operate toward and from the center of the machine, where the link. isformed, and are so shaped,

weasel ranged and timed with reference to each other as to perform theirrespective operations and to move back out of the way as seen theirparticijllar OPGI'lltiOHS are completed, to make room for other ilormingtools which follow i or siu-ceeding operations.

The wire designated as (a is taken from a reel, not shown, as iscustomar with wire forming machines and is drawn forward through thewire straightening devices -J':Q-l-Q by the wire feeding mechanism whichI will next describe.

This feeding mechanism as before stated is of novel construction andserves to permit the wire gripping: slide to be manually cut out at anytime to stop the feeding op erations and to be set so. as toautomatically successively perform a given number oi. feedingoperations, then drop a si'Lroln-rand immediately start feeding again,in a man nor to produce it desired, pieces of chain having a specifiednumber 01 links and of given lengths, such for instance as would berequired in making certain forms of non-skid automobile tire chains.This cut out mechanism as incorporated in my ma chine is adapted to bereadily adjusted for producing pieces of chain as before suggested ofvarious lengths or set to allow the complete machine to operateuninterruptedly for the production of continuous lengths of chain.

The shaft D carries a gear 14: with and drives a similar upon a shaft4-5 journaled secured to the bed of the machine. the opposite end Ofllthis shatt is secured an eccentric dish 417 that is connected with arocker arm 4-8 whose lower end is IllVOlQtl at -l9 to a. bracketattached to the bed oi the machine. A link 50 connects the upper end ofsaid rocker that is mounted to reciprocate np-oh the way 52 through theeccentric, arm and lint: connections referred to. A rocker shalt .u inbracket- 4);) having one end portion journaled in the slide and theother end. portion mounted in an iupwardly disposed'part 54T of thebracl-zet 46. serves to open and close the wire clainpinn jaw 55. Therocker shaft is held against cndwise movement in the slide while itsother end is tree to be reciprocated backward and forward through thepost, with the action of the said eccentric and its con ncctions.Thisrocker shaitis further provided with a rocker movement by mechanismlater to be described, whereby the j aw is closed upon the wire at theouter end ot the stroke ofthe slide and opened at the inner end of thestroke to release the wire when fed forward its prodeterminei'ldistance. i

The means for impartinothis rocking; movement to the rocker shaft isbest shown in Figs. 1, 4L, 8 and 10 and comprises a Upon arm with aslide 5ft groove cam 56 that is mounted upon the before mentioned shaft-45 that serves to reciprocate a slide 57' hearing a roll that engagesthe said cam. This slide vertically mounted in the before mentioned5%land is i'letachably connected with a rack 58 that engages a smallgear :Silmounted upon the before mentioned rocker sha 1 53, within thepost, said ear having a square hole to fit upon the square shaft whichis mounted to reciprocate therethreue h but to be turned by the gear.

The detachable connection between the slide 57 and the rack :3 consists(see 10) in a latch '60 slidehl mountei'l in the upper end 01''- theslide. one end portion be ing adapted to normally engage the hole it inthe rack to locl: the slide and rack together so as to operate as one.A. spring; detent c2 mounted noon the upper end of the slide serves totrictionally cngi g a pin carriedby the stem of the latch to hold it inor out oi engagement with the rack. This reel: is do ig'ned to beoperated both manually and automatically as to stop the feedingoperations at any moment or to set the machine so that one feedingstrolaie will he skipped every so often. This cutout therefore furthercomprises an operate ing lever 63, the lower end of which is pivoted. atlh": the brat and the upper pertiii 'u is opcrativel connected :3 at tothe before mentioned latch. T1 i- .lever is further provided with a noof rolls 6G-66 that straddle the edge portion of a rotary dish 67mounted upon a short shaft 68 journaled in a bearing at the beforementioned bracket. The disk carries two legs 70 and 71 on opposite sidesot its peri iheral edge porlioin one of which is positioned slightlyahead of the other so as to first engage one of the rolls G6 in a way tothrow the latch out and the other lug positioned to engage the otherroll of the lever and throw the latch in again with the next rotation ofthe shaft 4:5. These operations of the latch are perliormei'l with eachcomplete rotation ot the d 67 and its shalt. A dial 72 is mounted uponthe other end of this short shaft (38 and is pro vided with a series oinotches 73 in its periphery to be engaged by the pin '7?- projected fromthe end ot the cam shai't ".1.

which serves to turn the dial and it. a fraction or" a turn, with eachcomplete rotation of the shaft With each complete rotation of this dial.which as shown includes notches, the same num stitutcd. having a greateror less number of,

notches.

ill)

The disk is normally held against rotation by the engagement of a toothof a rocker arm 74 that engages a notch of the disk. This arm is pivotedto a bracket at 7-1" and is automatically operated to engage anddisengage its tooth with the respective notches of the disk by a cam 74that engages a roll on the arm to throw the tooth out and by a spring7-1 that serves to again throw the tooth in the said notch.

The wire feeding slide 52 obviously serves to feed the wire forwardpredetermined dis tancesagainst theadjustable stop 7 5 secured to thebed of the machine, whereupon it is cut into proper lengths from whichto form complete chain links without the necessity of trimn'iing off theends of the wire after Ll'lGdiill-IIE; have been formed. The wire isguided diiiring its forward feeding movements, through suitable holes inthe fixed guide blocks 77 and 78. In addition to these wire guides Ialso provide a movable guide 79 that is carried on an inwardly disposedarm 80 mounted upon a rocker shaft 81 that is operated through a secondarm 82, by a cam 88 upon the shaft B. This guide is thus mounted inorder to be moved into and out the path of movement of the wire so thatthe same will be guided into the eye of the previously formed linkduring its forward movement. and so that the guide will be raised out ofthe way while the link is being formed. The cuttingbfi' tool 84: sec -;dto the vertical reciprocatory tool 105 is positioned. adjacent to thehole in the last named block or bushing 7 8.

lit-wire clamping device which serves to clamp and hold the wire duringthe return movement of the feed slide, and the cutting or? operation, ismounted in the before mentioned block 76, and comprises a plunger 86that is mounted in a hole of the block and adapted to move vertically toengage iildisengage the wire a as it passes beneath the lower end. Thisplunger is operatablv connected to one end of a lever 87 pivoted at 88to a slide-bracket 89 and whose other end carries a roll that is engagedby a cam 90 mounted upon the before mentioned shaft 0. that serves tooperate the lever in a way to 'p the wire at predetermined intervals.during the cutting operations as before stated.

The slide bracket 89 mounted upon the bed more particularly serves tosupport the three vertical reciprocatory slides 91, 91 and 92. The slideis positioned in the bracket centrally of the machine and directlv abovethe station where the wire link blank'is formed and serves to carry thetwo forming tools 93 and 94: which operate in connection with the U-ingtool in the forming of the loop of the link as will be later more fullydescribed. The slides 91 and 91 are positioned at equal distances fromand on the two sides of the center slide 92. These two slides aresimilar in construction and function but are operated by separate thoughsimilar devices. A lever 95 which is pivoted in a bearing 96 of theslide bracket 89 has one end portion operatively connected as at 9. tothe slide 91 and carries a roll 98 upon its other end, that runs in agroove of a cam 99 mounted upon the before mentioned shaft D.- Thesecond lever 100 which is pivoted at 101 to a bracket 102 attached tothe bed, has its inner end also similarly connected as at 103 to theslide 91 and its outer end in o erative engagement with a grooved cam101- so that the said. lever 100 will be oper ated in unison with theaforesaid lever 95, so that the two slides 91 and 91 will be reciproc 4:l simultaneously, and their respective forming tools 105 and 106 inconnection with the lower tools 10"- and 108 will perform the twopreliminary bencing operations in the end portions of the wire blank.The wire blank, as shown in Figs. 7 and 11., is clamped just before thebending operations referred to so that the same will be tightly heldwhile bending tools 105 and This clamping device in- 106 are at work.cludes a pair of fixed tools 109 and 110 mounted on the lower endportions of the ills 111 secured to the front of the slide bracket 8.and the pair of movable tools 107 and. 108 carriedby a lower andvertically operatable slide 11 1 (see Figs. 7 and This slide isoperatively mounted in a bracket 115 secured to the under side of thebed which serves to support and is pivotally The shape of the groove ofthis cam is such as to impart two operative movements to the lever andslide with each complete rotation of said earn 119 and its shaft (7.

After the completion of the prel minary bending operation as beforereferred to and as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 11. the two eyes areformed. b means of the wire curling devices which I will next describe.see Figs. 1, 6. 7, 9 and. There are two of these curling devices, onefor bending each of the two end portions of the wire to form the evesand to dispose the ends inward. downward and at an angle to theintermediate body portion of the wire. These curling devices eachcomprise a rotary shaft. one of which is designated as 120 and the otheras 121. Each shaft is proided with an enlarged head portion upon itsinner end that carries a center pin 122 1 and an eccentricall vpositioned pin 123. that engages and bends the end portions or the w reblank againstthe forming post. The shafts are both provided with aperipherally toothed surface forming a pinion 12 1, one of which isdirectly engaged by the slidable cross-rack 1525, and the other by anidler gear 126 that meshes with the said rack and is thus positionedintermediate 01 it and the curler shaft 1:21. The slide-rack 125 extendsout over the right end of the machine and carries a roll 127whichisengaged by the groove oi. a cam. 128 mounted upon the shaft A andwhereby the said slide rack is given a backward and forward slid ins:movement in its ways 199 and 130 s ecured to the bed. The curler shatts120 and 121 are mounted in separate slidable members 131 and 132, onehaving a guide member 133 fixed to its under side and the other asimilar guide 134. These guides are each titted in. suitable ways of?the bed. of the machine and are provided with rolls 135that engagegrooved cams 136 and 137 respectively, mounted upon the before mentionedshatt B, which serves to reciprocate said slides toward. and from thewire blank. I

T he top portions of the slide 13 and in which the curlers are rotatablymounted are made adjustable toward and from each other by means ofadjusting screws 138. These curlers are thus provided through. theslide-rack 125 with forward and backward rotary movement whereby theeccentric pins 123 carried in the curlers engage. and curl the endportion of the wire blank up over and inward aronn'd the central pin1..29 'lroin the position shownin Fig. 11 to that shown in 12, and inaddition each. is provided with a forward and backward longitudinalmovement effected through the befo e mentioned cams 136 and 13'? wherebys; 1. curlers are simultaneously brought forward at proper times toengage the wire 'lor said rotary curling operations and whereby they arelikewise brought back to disconnect the pins from the wire after thecurling operations have been completed as indicated in Fig. 12. i

it chain conveyor 139 is slidably mounted in the bed of tl e machine,interu'lediate the two slide members 133 and 13-4 to receive and directthe finished chain from the machine. This conveyor includes a centrallongitudinal pocket, the opposite side walls of which are provided withgrooves 140 in which the two longitudinal. side members ot the chainlinks are slidably supported. This conveyor is utilized for supportingthe chain during the ll-ing oi? the blnnk'and for conveying" the chaintrout the link tornr ing station. The U-ing operation as repre sentedin. Fig. 13.-is the next following that of forming the eyes indicated inFig. 155. The forward end portion oi? this conveyor is made separate andoi? hardened steel and comprises a Ming tool 14:1 that operates inconjunction with the former post 9?). see Fig. 13. This U-ing operationis formed by the thing tool 141 engaging the two end portions of thewire blank and bending them back against the two sides of the formerpost 93. This con veyer 189 is mounted on a slide 1 12 which carries aroll 143 that rides in a groove of a cam 1 1st mounted upon the camshail't B. i

. The central slide 92 is mounted to reciproate vertically in the slidebracket 89 and is engaged by a lever 112 pivotedly mounted in thebearing 113 oiithe bracket 89. The

a spring 14-7 positioned upon a screw 1&8, ex-.

tending freely through the said holder and engaging the slide. One ofthe ends of this spring is supported against the head of the screw andthe other against the holder so as to act against the latter and hold itagainst the slide 92. This holder is provided with a cross arm 149 whichcarries a shoe 150 on each end and whose lower ends are beveled tobetter engage and ride upon the lugs 151 so that the former post mayfreely descend. clear of the wire blank and then be brought forwardduring the :t'urther and final downward movement of the slide 92 and itsholder 145, so that the trout edge 01 the former post will set up tightagainst the side of the wire blank to prevent it from turning duringoperations. i

This former post is supported upon the inner side and in the groove atthe lower end of the tool holder while the setting tool 9% is attachedto the 11" out side of the holder directly in front of said centrallypositioned forincrpost. These two tools are prefer ably secured to the.holder by screw bolts 153 passing through. said tools and holder tosecure the same together. The former post is slightly longer than thesetting tool and obviously performs a more important function namelythat 01 providing a form, around which. the wire blank is bent, to formthe loop of the link. The setting tools descend simultaneously with thepost and enter the loop of the previously formed link in a way to engagethe inner walls of the side of theloop portion to spread the same thefurther forinin two eye portions of the against the grooves of the thingtoo]. which in turn throws me .same link tightly together so as to makethe link ri d, thereby eliminating' any possibility oi the stretch ofElliUll after it formed.

The former post having thus been positioned against the wire blank andthe eye-end of the previously formed link, and in alignment with thecenter of the U-ing tool, the next operation would be that of said U-ingtool which is shoved forward the round end portions of its twolongitudinal grooves engaging the side of the two end portions: of thewire blank in a way to bend and dispose the same in parallel alignmentagainst the opposite sides of the former as shown in Fig. 13. Thisoperation as will be noted brings the two eye portions of the blank inalignment with each other at the rear of the post, and back of thepreliminary position of the blank, where the first operations thereonare performed.

After the. U-ing operation the two eye portions of the blank are furtheroperated upon by the first pair of side tools 154 and 175, one of whichcarries a pin 156 and the other of which is provided with a hole 157 toreceive the end of said pin 156 when the two tools are moved inward. Thepurpose of the pin is obviously to enter and align the eyes of the linkand to retain them in alignment during the further closing movements ofthe side tools, which movement further bends in the two opposite sideportions of the blank serving to form the two shoulders, and brings thetwo eyes together to close the 100) of the link as shown in Fig. 16L.One of these side tools 154: is adustably mounted upon a slide 158,carrying a roller upon its outer end that rides in a groove of a cam15,9 upon the shaft D, while the other side tool 155 is similarlymounted upon a slide 160 that likewise bears a roll to engage a groovein a cam 161 mounted upon the before mentioned shaft A.

A second pair of side tools 162 and 163 are OPU'ELtlXQlY positionedadjacent to the before mentioned side tools 154 and 155 and have theirinner end portions properly shaped to simultaneously engage the endportions of the blank and dispose them in the position shown in Fig. 15,in under the shoulders of the link and the post, to partially curl saidends around the respective shoulders as indicated by full and dottedlines in Fig. 15. These side tools are moved back and forthsinniltaneously, one being adjustably attached to a slide 16 1operatively connected with a groove of the cam 159 upon the shaft D, andthe other is similarly mounted upon a slide 165 that is operativelyconnected in a cam groove 166 of the before mentioned cam wheel 161.These slides are oppositely mounted to reciprocate backward and forwardin ways of the bed and are thus provided with a positive backward andforward horizontal movement so that the tools are brought up at theproper time and remain in position sufliciently long to perform theirproper function.

Referring now to Fig. 16 it will be seen that I have shown a short pieceof chain including an unfinished link, the portions of which are shownboth in dotted and full lines. The dotted lines represent the positionof these ends as shown in Fig. 5 and as left by the action of the secondset of side tools 162 and 163 whereas the upwardly deflected positionsof the ends of the link as shown in this Fig. 16 represents the furtherbending operation as performed by the lower tool 167 which is brought upat the proper instant and in close relation to the bottom end of theformer post as the same is withdrawn. This bottom tool thus leaves thetwo end portions of the wire disposed vertically through the loop, closetogether, side by side and close against the respective shoulderportions of the link.

The link is obviously held during this further bending operation, by thetwo sets of side tools, the pin carried therewith and by the U-ing tool,in a way to prevent movement of the link except the free wire-endportions. This lower tool 167 is adjustably attached to and centrally ofthe before mentioned slide 114 which as before stated, is given tworeciprocations to one of each of the other tool slides. The firstreciprocation being to insure action of the preliminary forming tools107 and 108 and the second movement for the action of the single centrallower tool 167. i

The final and important operation of the machine whereby the upwardlydisposed wire-ends, as shown in full lines in Fig. 16, are bent forwardcompletely over and down tight upon the shoulders of the link andagainst the peripheral surface of the eyes to form a smooth and perfectlink, is performed by a hook-like tool 168 (see Figs. 9 and 17) that isadjustably secured by means of screws 169 to a lever 170. Thislever ispivoted at 171 to a slide 172 operatively mounted in ways of the bed anddesigned to reciprocate toward and from the center of the machine by acam roll mounted upon the slide and engaging a cam groove in a cam 17 3mounted upon the before mentioned shaft C. The other end of the toolcarrying lever 170 is also provided with a roll 174; which rides uponthe face of a small cam 175 also mounted upon the said shaft G. The roll174 of this lever 170 is held against the face of the cam 175 by meansof a spring 176, one end of which is. attached to said lever and theother end to a bracket 177 socured to the bed of the machine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this hook shaped final-bendingtool mounted to operate over the central portion of the eye of the linkand is provided with both vertical and horizontal reciprocatorymovements that are so proportioned as to engage the said upwardlydisposed end portions of the wire at the instant they are so disposedand to simultaneously bend them forward and press the ends down tightlyso that no portion thereof will protrude beyond other surface portionsof the link. After this operation is thus completed the tool moves backout of the way and the side tools separate leaving the loop portion ofthe link still in engagement with the ll-ing tool so as to be supportedthereby with its eye-end projected beyond. the end of said tool.

The conveyor and. lJ-ing tool are next moved outward by means of thebefore mentioned cam 14:41; which carries the chain including the lastformed link outward adistance sulllciont to insure the positioning outthe eye oi said last formed link in alignment with the wire to be fed sowhen the same is fed forward and passed through the movable guide 79 itwill enter the said eye so as to thread. and position the same upon andcentral of the length of the wire blank when cut oil.

Briefly the several operations of forming the links, and illustrated inFigs. 11 to 18, .is as follows: The straight wire stock is :ted forwarda predetermined distance by the slide 52, being threaded through the eyeoil. the previously formed link. which has been moved upon completion tosuch. position as to receive it. The proper length oi wire is cut oil bythe cutting tool Set, and simultaneously with the cutting oillj'operation preliminary bends are imparted to the wire through theoperation of the forming tools 105106, mi -10%, and 109% 110 11).

The curling devices 120 and 121 (Fig. 12)

now move forward to engage the wire, the I center pins 122 engaging theupper side of the previously bent portions. while the occentric pin 123engages the lower side. The curling devices are now rotated in oppositedirections, so that the ends oi. the wire are brought inward, downward,ainl at an angle to the innnei'liato body portion o]? the wire, and eyesare iorined at each end. The previously 'lornicd link oi the chain isdis posed in the grooves id!) or": the ll-ing tools i 11, with its eyesupporting the link being 'l'orined. Upon the next :iiorward. niovomeatoi the ll-ing tools the ends oi the link. being Formed are bent intotl-liorin about the former post 93 (Fig. 1. 1) which has been previouslylowered into position. J -ittho same time that the former post engagedwith. the. wire the setting tool 9-1 is engaged with. the loop of thepreviously formed. link in a manner to engage the inner walls thereoi?and spread the same agiiust the grooves oi. the tl-ing tools 141.,which. in turn throws the two eye portions oi: the link tightlytogether, so as to make the link rigid, thereby eliminating anypossibility of the stretch of the chain alter it is formed.

The U-ing operation brings the eyes of the wire into alignment. Sidetools 15% and 155 (Fig. 14-) are operated to bring the eye portionstogether, the pin 156 on the tool engaging the eyes. The former post 93cooperates during this operation to form shoulders at the end of theloop. A second pair of side tools 162 and 163 (Fig. are next operated tobend the ends of the wire downwardly and beneath the shouldered end ofthe loop.

The ends oi the wire are now bent upwardly into the loop by the upwardmovement of the tool 6'? (F 16) and are finally bent forwardly over theshouldered end of the loop and so that the extremities en gage thesurface of the eyes by means of the vertically and horizontallyreciprocating hook-shaped tool 168 17). The last formed link is nowmoved outwardly by the conveyor means, so that its eye is in position toreceive the wire for forming the next link. This is the positionindicated by the second link from the end in 9, the last formed linkbeing moved to this position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is l. in a machine for automatically makingwire chain, the links otli which comprise a relatively large loopportion at one end and an eye at the other end, the combination oil abed, a series of tool. carrying slides operatively mounted in the bedand adapted to operate from four directions to and from he center of thebed, where the links formed. forming tools mounted above and. below thebed in alignment with and adapted to operate toward and from each other.a lever member ,pivotally mounted upon. one o'iithe slides of the bed,carrying a bending tool upon its inner end, means for rc ciprocating thesaid slide together with. its lever and means for operating the lev rwhen in its forward position to cause il '9 tool to engage the upwardlydisposed fr; end. portions the wire link and bend them down closeagainst the eye with the return. movement of the slide carrying saidlover.

2. In a machine for automatically making: wire chain. the links of wh chcomprise 'elatively large loop portion at one end. and a smaller eye atthe other end, means for lorming the preliminary bending op-. erationsin the two end portions of the wire blank, thing tools for folding thelink, side tools for aligning and closing the eyes together and to formshoulders in the loop. means for disposing the adjacent downwardlydeflected. end portions of the wire blank up together through the loopand against the respective shoulder, and means for simultaneouslyengaging the two said upwardly disposed end portions of the wire andbending;- thein overaud down. upon. the said. shoulder: portions or" thelink and their ends against the peripheral portion of the eye to term asmooth link.

In machine for automatically making wire chain. the links of whichcomprise a relatively large loop portion at one end and smaller eyes atthe other end, the combination of means for forming preliminary bendingoperation in the two end portions ot a wire blank, Ll-inp; tools forfolding the link, side tools for aligning and closing the eye endportions together and to form shoulders in the loop, means for disposingthe adjacent downwardly deflected end portions of the wire bl anl: uptogether through the loop against the respective shoulders, areciprocatory slide and means tor operating the same, a lever pivotallymounted upon the slide having a hook-like tool upon its tor-ward end,means for operating the slide and lover to cause the tool. of the latterto our e the two end portions ot the wire t eu blank and bend lownaround the shouldcrand their end. positiouedagainst the eyes of thelink.

1-. In a machine for automatically mak ing wire chain links, whichcomprise a relatively large loop portion and an eye portion, thecombination oil: means for forming preliiniiuiry bending operations onthe two end portions of a wire blank, a vertical reciprocatory slideoper "rely mounted above said inxeliminary bending ll'lCitllS, a formerpost ca ried by the slide, a ll-ing tool tor tolding the link aroi' 1dthe former post, side tools for aligning; and closing the two eyeportions of the lint: together, means for furheir bending; the endportions of the wire itioi to complete the link, and a Setting .ol lsocarried vby the slide tor the former inst whereby both the former postand setingr tool are simultaneously operated for j of: one linksimultaneous operation ot the new link.

with. the i idi h 5, In a machine For automatically nakvire chain, thelinks of which. comrelatiyclv lare'e loop portion at one 1 and a 8311i!I E a; the other end, the coinnination oi mechanism for feeding wireforward through the eye ot the previously orined link; means for cuttingotihlanks o wire and tor-nine preliminary bends in be two end. portionsof said blank, means or simultaneously curling; the two said bent andportions ot the lilank to form eyes, n'ieans for folding" the wire blankto bring the eye portions together, a setting; tool, nd means formovingthe setting tool into the loop 0'? the previously formed link,where by the loop is set in a way to throw the eye 1 to r the blank, aformer post adapted to be positioned against the center of the wireblank, a reciprocatingchain conveyer having opposite longitudinalgrooves for guiding the movement of a chain therethrough, a U-ing toolsecured to the forward end of said reciprocating conveyor and havinggrooves al 'ued with those in the sides of the contool adapted to engageand told around the former post, means for bending the two end portionsof the wire around the shoulders of the loop and disposing said endsagainst the eyes of the link.

i". in a wire chain machine, the combination with preliminary bendingtools, a pair of curlers tor curling the one portions of the wire blank,a U-ing tool for :t'oldinp; the said blank, a vertical reciprocatingslide positioned above the line of operation of the U-ing" tool, tool.holder pivotally connected to the said slide and adapted to be normallybut yieidably held in relation thereto, a forming tool carried by thesaid tool holder adapted to operate in connection with the ii-inn toolin the folding of the wire linh blank, means for imparting forwardmoven'ient to the tool holder and tool post carried thereby during); itsdownward movement for positioning the former post against the back ofthe wire blank preparatory to the U-ingr operation.

8. in a wire chain machine, the con'ibination with preliminary bendingtools, curling devices for forming eyes in. the end portions ol the wireblank, means for folding the blank including); reeiprocatory slide, atool holder piyotedly connected. thereto, a spring' to be normally heldin the holder relation to the slide, fined means for engagement with theholder during the e. lower portion of its downward movement, a postcarried by the holder adapted by reason of the foregoing construction ofholder to be lowered. hack t the wire blank and nient therewith to clampthe same during}; the further bending? operation. 7

9. In. a chain machine, the combination of a bed. including a centrallitik 'l oru'iing station, means for feeding; wire forward and acrossthe said forming station, a wire cut-- ting n'ieans, a pair of lowerwire gripping tools to engage the wire blank on the two sides of middleportion, a pair of retry curlers each'including a centering pin and aneceeutrically positioned wire eng seing means, SOPiETQtG slides uponwhich each oil. the curlers are operated, like means for siniilarlyreciprocating the slides and curlers to nil-easel engage anddisengagethe wirebl'ank, a rack and connections for rotating the curlersto curl the end portions of the wire blank, a verticallyl'DOVitblOCGHtIELllY aligned former post, a reciprocatory U-ing tooladapted to operate in conjunction with the former post in a way to bendthe wire around the latter to form the loop end of the linlgniean's forclosing the eyes ofthe link together, means for completing the curlingof the wire to form the eye, a setting tool positioned in advance of theformer post to engage the loop portion of the previously formed link ina way to set the two eye portions of the link tight against each other.

10. In a chain machine, the combination of a bed having a central linkforming station, means for feeding the wire blanks for- Ward and acrossthe said forming station, a pair of wire gripping tools, a pair ofrotary curlers each including a centering pin and an eccentricallypositioned wire engaging means, separate slides upon which each of thecurlers are operated, like means for similarly reciprocating the slidesand curlers to engage and disengage the wire blank, a single rack forrotating the curlers, a vertically movable former post, a reciprocatorylJ-ing tool positioned between the curlers adapted to operate inconjunction with the former post in bending the wire, means for closingthe eyes of the link together, a setting tool positioned in advance ofthe former post to engage the loop portion of the previously formed linkwhile positioned in the U-ing tool in a way to spread the loop andthereby set the two eye portions of the link tight against each other.

11. In a wire feeding device,the combination with a feed slide,operation connections with an operating shaft, of a wire clamping meanscarried by the slide and also operated by the operating shaft, anddetachable means for disengaging said operating connection of the wireclamping device and the operating shaft with a predetermined number ofoperations of the said operating shaft.

12. In an automatic wire chain machine, the combination with linkforming tools, of wire feeding and cutting mechanism for producing linkblanks, means for operating said feeding device a predetermined numloerof times and then skipping a feeding" operation to produce pieces ofchain including a specified number of links, and means for changing thefeeding and skipping mechanism so that the lengths of chain may includea greater or less number of links.

13. In a wire chain machine, the combination with an operating shaft, ofa feed slide, connections between the shaft and the slide forreciprocating the latter, a secondary shaft driven from the operatedshaft and in increased relation thereto, a clamping number of feedingoperations are reflected.

1a. In a wire feeding device, the combination with a feed slide,operating connections with an operating shaft, of awire clamping meanscarried by the slide and operated by the operating shaft, detachablemeans for disengaging said operating connection of the wire clampingdevice and the operating shaft, with a predetermined number of operations of the said operating shaft, manual operating means for alsoeffecting said disengagement of the wire clamping means whereby thefeeding operation of the wire may be discontinued at the will of theoporator.

15. In a wire feeding device, the combination of a feed slide,connections, and an operating shaft, of a Wire clamping means carried bythe slide and also operated by the operating shaft, detachable means fordisengaging said operating connection with the wire clamping device andthe operating shaft with a predetermined number of op-, erations of thesaid operating shaft, comprising in part a cam actuated slide and rack,a shaft and pinion connected therewith, detachable means for connectingthe slide and rack, a device intermediate of said detachable means andthe operating shaft whereby the detachable means is disconnected withinany predetermined number of rotations of the operating shafts.

16. In a wire feeding device, the combination with a feed slide clampingdevice carried thereon, means for reciprocating the slide, means foroperating the clamping device with each reciprocation of the slide,-

a driving and driven shaft, the former for operating both the slide andclamping device and the latter for disconnecting the operatingconnection of the clamping device, a changeable driving connectionbetween the two said shafts whereby the driven shaft makes a singlerotation to a specific number of rotations of the driving shaft andwhereby with each complete rotation of said driven shaft the clampingdevice is disconnected in a way to skip a single feed.

17. In an automatic wire chain machine,

wire feedin and cutting mechanism for producing link blanks, means foroperating said feeding device a predetermined number of times and thenskipping a feeding operation to produce pieces of chain of a specifiednumber of links, comprising a feed slide, a shaft and connections forreciprothe combination with link forming tools, of

